266 IN THE GUIANA FOREST. 



way. Even this species, however, can hardly 

 endure sodden ground, although it changes its 

 habit and grows upright in very wet weather, but 

 has to give way to the monarch of the roadside 

 and the estates dam, Paspalum conjugatum the 

 sour grass. This monster is at the top of the tree 

 as far as endurance is concerned, although it is 

 suppressed to a certain extent during a drought. 

 Unlike the two others we have mentioned, which 

 are eagerly devoured by horses and cattle, this is 

 disliked even by the goat. In a congenial season 

 it effaces every other weed, rising to a height of 

 two or three feet, and extending even into the 

 public roads. In the garden it indicates bad 

 drainage, and will flourish at all times if undis- 

 turbed, but on the roadside it becomes much 

 reduced during the dry season. Nevertheless, by 

 means of its multitude of seeds and creeping habit, 

 it again comes to the front in a few weeks after the 

 rains, to be heartily abused by the stock-breeder 

 as something not only useless, but offensive. 



As the bushes and trees in your garden begin to 

 spread they gradually shut out the light from 

 everything below until not a single weed can come 

 to anything, and now that they have succeeded in 

 gaining their first victory they begin the fight with 

 each other. Some are already seen to be the 



